Winds of Change
by ThornWolf the Loyal
Summary: THIRD BOOK! YAY! Wolfheart has given birth to three beautiful kits, but one of them holds the key that will change the wolrds of all the Clans forever.
1. Clans

**MysticClan**

Leader: Aquastar (storm gray she-cat w/ blue-green eyes)

Deputy: Hawkwing (black and gray tom w/ gold eyes)

Medicine Cat: Solarwind (black she-cat w/ silver lines crossing her body and dark blue eyes)

-Frostbite (ice-blue she-cat w/ white tail and blue eyes)

Warriors: Rockfire (gray tom w/ black spots and orange eyes)

Shadowfire (black tom w/ orange eyes)

Nightrain (black striped gray tom)

Skysong (silvery white she-cat w/ dark blue eyes)

Winterstorm (white tom)

Blackstone (large black tom)

Emberflame (light orange she-cat w/ light blue eyes)

Swiftwind (tabby tom)

Shadowstorm (black tom with dark brown eyes)

-Ivypaw

Apprentices: Solarpaw (black she-cat w/ dark green eyes and thin white lines on her body)

Icepaw (white she-cat w/ light blue eyes)

Ivypaw (light brown she-cat with bright green eyes, formerly a street-cat)

Elders: Mossear (white she-cat with brown patches) Mistmoon (light gray she-cat w/ white legs and green eyes)

Turtleshell (tortoiseshell tom)

Queens:Wolfheart (dark brown she-cat w/ a white patch on her chest and icy blue eyes)

Snowdrift (white she-cat with green eyes)

**MoonClan**

Leader: Riverstar (blue-gray she-cat)

Deputy: Rockfall (burly brown tom)

Medicine Cat: Waterlily (gray and white she-cat)

Warriors: Tigerpelt (dark tabby tom)

-Windpaw

Eagletalon (golden tom)

-Flowerpaw

Thunderclap (dark gold tom)

-Squirrelpaw

Bearclaw (black and brown tom)

Blue-eyes (black she-cat w/ blue eyes)

Owlpelt (dark brown she-cat w/ big eyes)

Silvercloud (silvery gray she-cat)

Redfoot (black tom w/ one red-colored paw)

Apprentices: Squirrelpaw (brown she-cat)

Flowerpaw (white she-cat)

Windpaw (gray tom)

Elders: Poppypelt (red she-cat)

Graysky (dark gray tom)

Queens: Songbird (white she-cat)

**SunClan**

Leader: Lionstar (dark gold tom w/ a thick ruff around his neck)

Deputy: Sagestreak (light gray she-cat)

Medicine Cat: Dandelionpuff (creamy-white she-cat with bright gold eyes)

-Whitefoot (ginger tom w/ one white paw)

Warriors: Rosethorn (white she-cat)

Dawnsun (light gold she-cat)

-Foxpaw

Wildfire (red and white tom)

Smallpebble (small gray she-cat)

Redleaf (red she-cat)

Windsky (silvery white she-cat)

Sootfur (dark gray tom)

Apprentices: Foxpaw (rust colored she-cat)

Elders: Mountainside (massive black tom)

Oceantide (blue she-cat)

Queens: Brighteye (black she-cat w/ blue eyes)

-Leafkit (gray dappled she-cat)

-Flowerkit (white she-cat)

-Thornkit (dark brown tom)

Rabbittail (brown she-cat w/ a short white tail)

-Patchkit (black and white tom)

-Stonekit (dark gray tom)

**NightClan**

Leader: Falconstar (large gray-brown tom)

Deputy: Snakescale (brown tom)

Medicine Cat: Littleflame (small red-gold she-cat)

Warriors: Brushblaze (dark brown tabby tom w/ dark orange eyes)

Lightningstrike (light gold tom)

Thornshadow (Dark brown she-cat)

Russetpelt (reddish she-cat)

Spottedfur (dappled gray she-cat)

-Darkpaw

Leopardspots (gold spotted she-cat)

Featherfur (gray and white she-cat)

Apprentices: Darkpaw (almost-black tom)

Elders: Longfur (long-haired black she-cat)

Scarshoulder (gray tom w/ a long scar that starts on his shoulder and runs down his leg)

Queens: Midnightflower (dark blue-gray she-cat)

-Bramblekit (brown tom)

-Brindlekit (light brown she-cat)

-Brakenkit (dark brown tom)


	2. Chapter 1

**Hi! Yay, it's the third book in my series! You folks know the drill, I do not own anything except for my own characters.**

Chapter 1

"Oh, I'm so excited!" Solarpaw squealed to her sisters. Well, her blood-sister Icepaw and her adopted-sister Ivypaw.

Ivypaw smiled at her adopted siblings, her tail curled around her paws. I'm sure you'll make great warriors, both of you."

Icepaw fixed her light blue eyes on the brown she-cat. "Are you sure about not becoming a warrior?"

Ivypaw nodded. "I told Aquastar I wanted to wait, and I stand by my decision."

Ivypaw was once a street-cat from a Twoleg Place. When some Twolegs had taken Icepaw and Solarpaw there, she had helped the Clan cats get home. She had decided to stay with them, becoming the newest member of MysticClan. When Aquastar had told the three apprentices they would receive their warrior names soon, Ivypaw had declined. She told the Clan leader that being from outside the Clan, she wanted to learn more about the Warrior Code before becoming a real warrior.

Before they could say anymore, Aquastar's yowl from the Great Rock's peak called the summoned the Clan together.

"Good luck," Ivypaw mewed, giving each of her friends a quick lick behind the ear. She followed them to the base, making sure she had a front row spot for her adopted family's naming ceremony. From the corner of her eye, she saw Snowdrift, the mother of the to-be warriors. She was sitting at the entrance of the nursery. Ivypaw's observant green eyes saw Snowdrift's gaze flick to Blackstone, marking him clearly as being the father of the kits that still had yet to be born.

Ivypaw's mind drifted to Wolfheart, the brave dark brown she-cat. She was one of the first cats that were ready and willing for her to join the Clan. The wolf-speaking cat had also helped to mentor her, although her real mentor was the black tom Shadowstorm, Wolfheart's mate. Ivypaw wasn't surprised to see him near to the nursery, casting worried glances at it. She remembered now that Wolfheart's kits would soon be born.

Ivypaw's gaze was drawn back toward the naming ceremony as Aquastar began to speak. "One this night, two apprentices will receive their warrior names," the storm-gray leader began. "Icepaw and Solarpaw, step forward." The apprentices did so, with their mentors by their side.

Aquastar first looked at the orange she-cat. "Emberflame, you were the mentor of one of the most rambunctious apprentices MysticClan has ever had. Do you believe that she is ready to live her life following the Warrior Code?"

Emberflame dipped her head. "I do, Aquastar."

Aquastar then addressed the white-striped black apprentice. "Solarpaw, confirm for me the faith your mentor has. Are you ready to become a warrior?"

Solarpaw dipped her head, all of the wildness from her kithood vanishing. "I am."

"Then from now on, you shall be known as Solarflare." Aquastar turned her blue-green eyes to the tabby tom and his apprentice. "Swiftwind, your apprentice is very careful, analyzing every aspect of a situation before acting. Do you believe she is ready to use these skills as a warrior?"

"Yes, I believe she will," Swiftwind meowed, dipping his head.

Aquastar looked at Icepaw. "Are you prepared to become a warrior?"

The white she-cat nodded. "I am, Aquastar."

"Then from now on, you shall be known as Icefeather." Aquastar raised her head and yowled up to the stars. "I ask that StarClan will continue to guide the paw steps of these new warriors!"

As Icefeather and Solarflare turned to face the rest of MysticClan, the cats yowled out their names, with Ivypaw being the loudest of them all. "Solarflare! Icefeather! Solarflare! Icefeather!"

As the cats of MysticClan surged forward to congratulate them, a dark brown head poked out of the nursery. "Frostbite, Solarwind?" Wolfheart mewed. Both of the medicine cats turned to face her, along with Shadowstorm. "It's time."

--

Shadowstorm was pacing back and forth in front of the nursery. Ivypaw sat off to the side watching him. She was amazed that there wasn't a ditch dug into the ground from where he was walking. Every so often, Frostbite would emerge and Shadowstorm would nearly jump on top of her. The blue medicine cat would tell him that she was just getting some more herbs, vanished into the medicine cat den, then return to the nursery carrying something else to help Wolfheart. Even Icefeather and Solarflare, who were on their silent vigil, couldn't help casting glances at the den.

After what seemed like ages, Solarwind came out of the den. "Shadowstorm. Would you like to see you kits?" she mewed, smiling gently. The black tom nodded vigorously, feeling his throat suddenly tighten in anticipation. Ivypaw opened her mouth, but before she could speak Solarwind did. "Wait until he has seen them. Then you may come in." The brown she-cat nodded.

Solarwind stood back and let Shadowstorm enter the den. The den itself was a cave made from a natural rock formation. He would have thought it would be chilly, but it was well lined with soft moss that acted as an insulator, keeping it very warm inside. He could see the white coat of Snowdrift and the blue one of Frostbite. Between them lay Wolfheart. She looked exhausted, but as she looked up at him, her eyes shone with happiness.

"Say hello to your son and two daughters," she mewed quietly. She shifted her tail, which had been covering three tiny scraps of fur. The biggest one was a light gold tom. "Sunkit," Wolfheart whispered, pointed with her tail at her son. Next to him laid a light gray she-cat. "Twilightkit." The smallest kit of them all was no bigger than a mouse. Her pelt was white with silver streaks running over her little form. "And Windkit."

"Wolfheart, they're beautiful," Shadowstorm whispered, nuzzling his mate. Little Windkit raised her head and squeaked plaintively, as if asking why her mother had moved her tail. Wolfheart smiled down at her. "Wait a moment more, my little on," she purred. "Ivypaw still has to see you."

Wolfheart nodded to Frostbite, who left the den. Soon after, Ivypaw's lanky form slipped in. She looked down at the little balls of fluff with joy in her eyes. "They will make good warriors someday. I hope when they are ready to be apprenticed I am a warrior so I can mentor one of them."

Wolfheart placed her tail over them again. She looked up at Ivypaw and mewed, "I promise to give you first pick."

Solarwind came back into the den. "Okay, everyone out. Both mother and kits need their rest," she meowed gently. Ivypaw bid farewell to Wolfheart and exited the den. Shadowstorm gently nuzzled his mate before following out his apprentice.

Ivypaw looked up to where Icefeather and Solarflare were sitting, wondering if she should or even _could_ tell them the good news. Before she could make up her mind, Frostbite came padding over. "Don't worry, I've already told them."

"I'm amazed they didn't squeal in delight," Ivypaw meowed.

"Well, actually, I did have to cover up Solarflare's mouth. You should get some rest, Ivypaw. With you being the only apprentice, you'll have to cover all their duties as well as your own responsibilities and training."

"Don't worry, I'll be able to handle it. Good night, Frostbite," Ivypaw mewed.

She headed off towards the apprentice's den. It would probably be very lonely in there now. She already missed having her sisters to share the den with. She looked up at the sky, gazing at Silver Pelt. Once more, she wondered if she really belonged with the Clan. She sighed lightly, then went inside and curled up in her nest.

In her dreams, she returned to her old life on the streets. She remembered irritating her dear friend Toffee, a guinea pig belonged to a kind Twoleg. Her mind retraced the events that brought her to MysticClan. Just before she awoke, she saw herself mentoring one of Wolfheart's kits.

**Bye the way, Happy Mother's Day**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 **Sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I've hardly been at home at all, and I'm preparing for 4 regents exams! But soon I'll have all summer to write. Please forgive me!**

**Disclaimer: I only own my characters. Anything else belongs to Erin Hunter.**

Chapter 2

The gray cat stepped carefully, hoping not to alert her adversary of her presence. Her gold-colored opponent knew she was near, but his back was turned to her. A twig snapped. The gray cat sprang just as the golden one turned. She landed right on him. He raised a paw to push her off just as-

"All right, you two. That's enough."

Twilightkit looked back at her mother. "But Mom!" she protested.

"This was going to be an epic battle!" mewed Sunkit as he pushed his sister off.

Wolfheart had to suppress a purr of laughter as she approached her kits. "Epic or not, it's time for bed."

Sunkit stamped one of his little paws. "You said we could stay up until Dad got back!" Twilightkit gave her mother one of her most pathetic looks.

Wolfheart sighed as she looked up towards the slowly darkening sky. "Fine," she said finally. "You can stay up for a little bit longer. But when the first star comes out, it's off to bed, whether your father is back or not." She watched with a small smile as her kits bounced off, presumably to annoy one of the other Clan members.

"Wild little things, aren't they?" Wolfheart turned to see her own mother, Skysong, approaching. The silvery white she-cat sat down next to her daughter, her tail elegantly curled around her paws.

"How did you ever stand us?" Wolfheart asked with a wry smile.

"Oh, you three were challenging. Still, would you really have them any other way?" Skysong purred as she licked her daughter between her ears.

"I suppose not. I just wish those two would slow down once in a while," Wolfheart replied, nodding at Sunkit and Twilightkit, who were currently annoying Winterstorm.

"And what about little Windkit?" Skysong asked.

Wolfheart glanced at her mother. "The polar opposite of those two. Always polite and well behaved, willing to help whenever she can. But, at the same time, she's a bit…odd."

Skysong laughed. "I suppose oddness runs in the family, eh, wolf-speaker."

Wolfheart considered nipping Skysong on the ear for that one, but kept her composure. "What I mean is that one second, she's perfectly fine, and the next she's in a trance. Whenever that happens, she tries to leave the camp, and she always heads in the same direction, towards the mountains." Wolfheart paused. "I just don't know what to do about her. It worries me so much when the trance happens, and yet I can't help but feel that it is happening for a reason. What could it be, mother?"

Skysong gently pressed herself against her daughter's side. "I do not know, dear one. Only time will tell."

--

"Come on!" begged the little silver-striped kit. "Please tell me a story, Aunt Ivypaw!"

The brown apprentice chuckled to herself. Though she was not biologically related to Wolfheart's kits, not to mention any of the other Clan cats, the kits had still taken to calling her 'Aunt.' "Alright, Windkit. What kind of story do you want?"

Windkit's crystalline blue eyes shone in the darkness of the den. "One about Toffee!" she mewed excitedly.

"Again?! How many stories about her must you hear?"

The kit purred in amusement. "Always one more! Did you guys ever get into any mischief?"

Ivypaw smiled. Though she would never admit it, she did enjoy sharing stories about her old friend. "To be honest, that guinea pig got me trouble more often than us getting into trouble together. And what usually got me into the most trouble was her nose. She could smell things even I couldn't! There was a Two-leg that lived not far from Toffee's home. The Twoleg grew all sorts of food plants in what is called a garden. One day, Toffee claimed to me that she was hungry and the carrots in the Twoleg's garden were ready to be picked. And, of course, she asked me to get her one. I was very young and foolish back then, and I hurried to do as she asked. Just as I started to pull the carrot out of the ground, the door to the Twoleg's nest flew open and the Twoleg hurried out with a broom! Then she…"

A low whistling sound filled the den. Ivypaw paid no mind to it and continued on in her story. But the noise suddenly captured all of Windkit's attention. _Wind._ The word floated through her mind and then flew away. Windkit's paws began to itch with the urge to move. She got up and walked out of the den, not heeding Ivypaw's worried meows. She walked outside into the reddish light of the setting sun.

Windkit turned towards the camp entrance. Sitting there was a wispy form, as though surrounded by mist. Slowly it solidified itself into the form of a red longhaired tom. His golden eyes bore into Windkit's blue ones. He beckoned to her with his tail. Windkit took a step towards him. Another. And another.

"Windkit!" Her name was nearly screeched into her ear. Windkit snapped her head around to see her mother staring down at her, fury in her eyes, and something else. "What do you think you're doing?"

The whistling died away as the kit answered. "Who is that by the camp entrance?" she asked innocently.

Wolfheart looked up, confused. "There's no one there."

"What-?" Windkit looked back. Just as her mother said, the entrance was empty. The red tom had disappeared. "But, I was certain…someone was there…"

"Stop playing games, Windkit," Wolfheart scolded lightly. "There was no cat there. There isn't even a scent in the air," she added, inhaling deeply as though to prove to her daughter that no stranger had recently visited the camp. Still, her eyes betrayed that she was worried.

Windkit didn't notice this. She was still studying the entrance tunnel. Where had the mysterious cat gone? Why hadn't there been a scent?

Suddenly, some bushes shook outside the camp entrance. Had the mysterious cat returned?


	4. Chapter 3

Haha

**Haha! I love doing cliffhangers! It ticks people off sooo much (that's you Frosty)!**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill; only the OC's are mine…**

Chapter 3

Windkit tensed, her fur rising in fear. She opened her mouth and inhaled, and let her fur lie flat again. Out of the bushes stepped the evening patrol, with her father in the lead.

"Daddy!" squeaked Sunkit and Twilightkit as they raced up to greet Shadowstorm. Their weights combined nearly knocked him over despite his own size and strength.

"Oof! You two are getting too big for this!" Shadowstorm laughed good-naturedly.

"They are five moons old now," purred Wolfheart. She brushed her muzzle against her mates'. "Soon, MysticClan will have three new apprentices."

Shadowstorm nodded. "Speaking of which, where's Windkit?" He looked around the camp, looking right over her littlest daughter's head, pretending not to see her.

"Here I am, Dad!" giggled Windkit, brushing up against the black tom. Shadowstorm gently nuzzled her back.

"I have to go make my report to Aquastar now," he mewed to Wolfheart.

"Is there anything wrong?" the dark brown she-cat asked. Windkit pricked her own ears up. Maybe Shadowstorm had seen the red tom.

Yet the black warrior shook his head. "No, everything seems to be fine. In fact, there's more prey running than usual," he meowed happily. "I hope you don't mind me disappearing so fast."

"Not at all. Besides, it's time for these three to go to bed," she said, looking at Sunkit and Twilightkit in particular. Both were about to complain, but Wolfheart cut them off. "The deal was that you could stay up until your father got home. Now he is, so now you go to bed." She gently nudged each of them back towards the den.

Grumbling to themselves, Sunkit and Twilightkit did as they were asked, their tails dragging along the ground. Windkit followed, but before she went in, she glanced back at the camp entrance. Still the only one there was Blackstone, going up for sentry duty. She sighed and entered the nursery.

Shadowstorm looked at his mate. A worried look had come onto her face. He guessed exactly what was bothering her. "Is Windkit okay?"

Wolfheart sighed and looked up at him. "I-I don't know. She tried to leave the camp again and was claiming that there was a cat sitting in the entrance tunnel."

Shadowstorm blinked. "I can tell you for a fact that there was no scent of any cat there other than our own Clan's." he thought for a moment, then mewed, "I'll ask Aquastar what she thinks when I give her my report. Tomorrow, we can ask Solarwind. _Tomorrow_, mind you, not tonight. You look exhausted."

Wolfheart nodded. "I am, especially having to look after Sunkit and Twilightkit. They give me quite the runaround. Good night." Wolfheart pressed against Shadowstorm's side before entering the nursery. Shadowstorm watched after her before turning and padding to Aquastar's den.

"Aquastar?" he called. Instantly, the storm-gray leader's head popped out. Nodding, she allowed him to enter.

"Any news?" she asked, sitting with her tail curled regally around her paws.

"Only good. There is more prey running than ever, and I haven't scented any other cats near our borders."

"That is good." She studied him for a moment. "And yet, something is troubling you."

Shadowstorm's gaze flicked away from her for a moment before returning. "Windkit has been behaving strangely." He told her of how the little silver striped kit tried to leave the camp and that now she was seeing cats that didn't exist. Throughout his explanation, Aquastar's eyes grew more and more curious. "Do you know what is going on?" he asked.

"No. I'm not sure what to make of it. Then again, I am a young cat. I would speak with Solarwind or one of the elders. They have seen more moon's than I have."

"Thank you," Shadowstorm said, dipping his head respectfully. He turned and padded out of the den.

--

Windkit's eyes flashed open. The wind was whistling through the nursery. She carefully got to her paws and padded out into the moonlight, hoping no one would wake up. She moved as quietly as she could towards the camp entrance. She glanced up at the sentry post. _Odd, no one's there,_ she thought to herself. She quickly scented the air. She caught Blackstone's scent. _He's probably checking around the camp's perimeter._ Then she caught a whiff of something completely different. Underneath the scents of different plants and places, it smelled vaguely of MysticClan.

Windkit quickly looked up in time to see a longhaired red tail disappear into the bushes. Without even thinking about calling for Blackstone or one of the other warriors, she followed it. Faint, almost ghost-like paw prints marked out where the cat had been. Strangely, although bushes shook where the cat had passed by, they made no sound.

Finally, she came out of the underbrush into a small clearing. In the center of it was a smooth, flat rock. On top of it sat the red tom. "So you did follow me," he meowed in a deep but soft voice.

"Who are you?" Windkit mewed, studying the tom. He was massive now that she saw him up close.

"As a Clan cat, I was known as Firefur. As a Wanderer, I am Firerunner," he said. "And you?"

Windkit was not as afraid as she thought she would have been in the presence of a stranger. She raised up her little head with pride. "I am Windkit of MysticClan."

Firerunner's golden eyes widened with surprise. "A kit?!"

"Well, I'm almost an apprentice," she added, sounding a little offended by his reaction. But the tom didn't seem to notice her.

"Never has a cat so young been called to be a Wanderer! Why have you done this to her now, instead of waiting until she was a warrior?" he meowed looking up at Silverpelt. "The journey is dangerous-too dangerous-for even a full grown cat, and here you are sending a kit!"

"What's going on?" Windkit demanded. Her courage was faltering. Who was this cat that believed he could yell at StarClan and be safe?

Firerunner stopped mid-rant and looked down at Windkit. As if reading her thoughts, he said, "Little one, I am not what you believe me to be. Once I was a part of MysticClan. Then, StarClan called me. I was supposed to go over the mountains and to the Clans beyond them."

"There are other Clans?" Windkit squeaked.

"Yes, there are other Clans. StarClan believed it was time for those Clans to meet ours many years ago. So they chose the first Wanderer, Dawnstep. But she never made the trip. For that matter, none of the Wanderers after her did."

"Including you," Windkit mewed softly.

"Yes, including me." A flicker of sadness flew through-what Windkit now realized- the ghost's eyes. "That is why I am amazed that they called you so soon. But they have called you to be the next Wanderer, and you must answer them. Will you leave MysticClan and become the New Wanderer, to rise up to future challenges and dangers, to pass them, and to find the other Clans?"

Windkit looked over her shoulder, back to where the camp was. StarClan wanted her world and theirs to meet. But, her mother would be heart-broken-her entire family would-if she left and never returned. Determination flared in her heart. _Then I won't die until I complete this mission and find the other Clans, _she thought to herself, her eyes narrowing at the thought of the challenge.

Firerunner saw deep within her that spark. He now knew why StarClan had chosen her and wanted her despite how young she was. A full-grown warrior would never have that much hope and determination. He himself, a jaded old ghost, believed that she would succeed where others had failed.

Windkit looked up squarely into Firerunner's golden eyes. "I will go," she meowed with confidence, "and I will return."

"Then I present to you your Wanderer name, given to you from birth by StarClan. You are Windwalker, the New Wanderer. Follow where your heart takes you, for it is StarClan who is guiding you, as will I. Be wary of others, but do not be afraid to trust when you believe others are worthy of it. Now begin the journey." The great red tom broke up into mist, surrounding her and filling her with strength, courage, and hope. The Wanderer opened up her heart and drank it in, feeling the power of StarClan flowing through her.

Slowly, the feeling subsided, and she was left standing alone in the clearing. She looked up into Silverpelt. Her eyes were drawn to the side of it, to a smaller cluster of stars. _The Spirits of the Wanderers, _she thought. Part of StarClan, and separated at the same time. A red star flickered brightly for a moment, reminding her that she was not as alone as she believed.

Windwalker turned towards the mountains, and with the wind as her companion, set off.


	5. Chapter 4

Hihi

Hihi! This is going to be my next installment for a while. I'm going away for a week or so and won't be able to get to my computer. Sorry for disappearing on ya again…

**Disclaimer: Warriors isn't mine, blah blah blah, only my OC's are mine, yada yada yada…**

Chapter 4

Wolfheart yawned and stretched out her front legs, being carefully not to disturb the lumps of fur still burrowed into her side. As dearly as she loved them, she couldn't wait until her kits were apprenticed so she could return to the warriors' den. She looked down at the 5-moon-old kits. Sunkit's yellow pelt practically glowed in the darkness of the nursery, while Twilightkit's blended in so easily, she might not have been there at all. Only the sound of her soft breathing gave it away. Wolfheart looked for Windkit's ghostly silver-streaked pelt.

Every cat in MysticClan was woken by an unearthly wail coming from the nursery. Seconds later, Wolfheart came bolting out of it, frantically scanning the camp before sprinting from place to place.

Finally, Shadowstorm managed to corner his mate. "Wolfheart!" he practically yowled, "What in StarClan's name is wrong?"

Wolfheart looked up at him with big scared eyes. "Windkit's missing!"

Murmurs of fear for Wolfheart's smallest kit rippled through the clearing. Aquastar's own yowl brought silence upon the Clan cats.

"We must find her. Rockfire, find another cat and go check along the southern borders. Nightrain, likewise with the eastern," she started issuing out orders to the Clan. Shadowfire and Icefeather went with them.

Blackstone stepped forward. "It's my fault that she's missing. I should've kept better watch."

Aquastar glanced at him. "It is no one's fault. You were looking for enemies, not wandering kits. Now, stop moping and take Swiftwind and Frostbite with you. I want you to speak with the other Clans and see if we can get help from them."

Ivypaw looked at the leader. "Why would other Clans want to help us?"

"They may not be of our Clan, but I cannot believe that any cat would ever wish harm to a kit, even if it was from outside their Clan." She nodded to the search party who turned and headed for MoonClan territory.

"Aquastar, should I go speak with the wolves?" Wolfheart asked, grief darkening her eyes. From behind her, Twilightkit and Sunkit were looking up at the leader with frightened eyes.

"But what about our other kits?" Shadowstorm meowed.

Sunkit looked up at his father. "We want to find Windkit as soon as possible. If that means mom has to leave us for a little while, we don't mind." Twilightkit sadly nodded in agreement.

Aquastar dipped her head. "Go, Wolfheart, but I want Solarflare to go with you." Instantly, Wolfheart sprinted off with Solarflare at her heels.

"The rest of you will wait until we get word from the search parties," Aquastar flicked her tail, dismissing the rest of the cats. Shadowstorm and Ivypaw both set about comforting the remaining kits.

At this moment, Mossear, who had been asleep, came out of her den. She let out a low hiss. Why was everyone all up in a tizzy? Tail lashing, she stomped to Mistmoon. "What on earth is al this racket?"

The light-gray she-cat turned to her. "Windkit has gone missing," she mewed softly.

Mossear's grizzled old pelt stood on end, her eyes widening. "We need to speak with Scarshoulder from NightClan."

Aquastar looked at the oldest of the elders quizzically. "Why is that, Mossear?"

"He is the oldest elder in all of the Clans. This happened before when I was just a new-born kit. He was an apprentice then. He will know what is going on."

Aquastar nodded. "I will go to speak with NightClan myself." Without another word, she whirled and raced out of the camp. Mossear blinked and, after a moment's hesitation, limped after the leader as fast as she could.

--

Brushblaze's yowl brought Falconstar out of his den. "Outsider approaching!" was the sentry's call. Other cats of NightClan padded out of their dens, each looking at their leader. A single twitch of his ear told them to stay where they were.

"Let this intruder into the camp!" he answered. "We are strong enough to bring him down if he poses any threat!"

Moments later, a storm-gray she-cat entered, panting heavily. Falconstar's gold eyes opened in surprise. "Aquastar? Why have you come here, and so alone?" a small snarl accompanied his last remark.

"She isn't alone, Falconstar." Mossear's gruff old voice preceded her entrance. All of the cats looked at her in surprise.

Snakescale's mocking growl broke in before Falconstar could say anything. "MysticClan thinks it can bring us down with only a leader and an elder, does it?"

Aquastar, who had regained composure remarkably fast, answered him. "We have not come looking for a fight. One of our kits is missing. Mossear believes that once before a cat went missing just as mysteriously, and we were hoping Scarshoulder might know something about it."

Upon hearing his name, a gray tom limped forward, a long pink scar showing painfully through his fur. "Vanishing cat, eh? Yes, this happened before. In fact, it was also a cat from your Clan. A red tom named Firefur. StarClan had told the medicine cat of SunClan that they chose that cat to go on a special mission, but that was all they said. Still, we all hunted for him. We found him later on, dead, drowned in a river. If this is a kit that they have sent, odds are, it's already dead." A small twinge of remorse entered his voice then. "I wish that StarClan hadn't had a kit go. It's sad to lose such a young life. Though you may find it dead, I would at least have you find it so it can have a proper burial with its Clan. All cats have a right to that."

"Oh no…" Aquastar breathed.

Falconstar turned to his Clan. "We must find this kit before the worst happens."

Scarshoulder glanced up. "If a grown warrior couldn't do it, a kit doesn't stand a chance. But if you're so insistent, the last cat was headed for the mountains."

"Thank you," Aquastar meowed. "I must pass this onto my Clan."

"NightClan will help, too. Take Russetpelt with you. She is our best tracker."

--

_Firerunner paced back and forth in front of Dawnstep. "Windwalker doesn't stand a chance! You have to send her back!"_

"_You must have more faith in your charge, Firerunner. Windwalker almost has everything she needs to make the journey," Dawnstep said calmly._

"_Almost?!" Firerunner stared at the First Wanderer in horror. "Why not send her when she has everything?" _

"_Because she will not find the missing necessity until she crosses the river. I believe you remember it well."_

_Firerunner spluttered. "I couldn't survive that! What makes you think an untrained kit will?" _

_Dawnstep looked at him, a twinkle of humor in her eyes. "She is almost an apprentice." The she continued more somberly. "Besides, you will be able to help her cross it."_

_Dawnstep glanced over at a small pool. "And the river is not hungry for the life of a kit."_

_Firerunner walked to it and peered into the water. In it, he saw Russetpelt of NightClan, Smallpebble of SunClan, Redfoot of MoonClan, and Emberflame and Hawkwing of MysticClan leaving for the mountains, hoping to track down Windwalker before she got too far. _

_Dawnstep padded up beside him. "The river will not take the life of the kit, but the life of one of these cats," she mewed softly. _

"_Who?"_

"_I do not know this. But we will all find out soon enough."_

**SQUEEE! CLIFFHANGER!! You're all gonna kill me, aren't you? But you'll have to wait until I get back! Mwahahahahaha!!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Guess who's back! (If you can't figure it out, you're an idiot.) (Sorry.) I apologize for the cliffies, it's just so fun to annoy all you peoples. I'll try not to do that in this chapter. ****:)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors, just my kitties and g-pigs and otherwise.**

Chapter 5

Windwalker padded through the forest. Sometimes Firerunner would join her, but for the most part she traveled alone. She didn't mind too much. She liked being able to set her own pace. Still, it gave her a lot of time to think about the Clan. She missed her mother and her siblings so much. She felt horrible about disappearing without a word, but she knew she wouldn't have been able to leave if she had even glanced at them.

Dusk had fallen. Windwalker had made herself a small nest and was just settling into it when a light breeze swept by her. Seconds later, the form of a red tom appeared beside her.

Windwalker sighed. "I wish you would stop doing that."

"What? What am I doing?" Firerunner asked, knowing full well what it was.

Windwalker glared at him. "This random coming and going. It drives me nuts."

Firerunner purred softly. Then his mood became somber. "It won't be happening again," he meowed. "Soon, you will have to continue on your own."

Windwalker blinked up at him. "Why?"

"We are almost to the point where I lost my life…where I failed. I cannot continue past that point. But you must, Windwalker."

"What happened?"

Firerunner stared at her for a second. If he told the little Wanderer, would she be more inclined to repeat the mistake he made? No, she should know what happened. "I was traveling just like you were until I came to where the mountains began. There was a deep chasm, and at the bottom was a fast flowing river. The only way to get across was by leaping from these rock formations that formed a bridge. They were spaced far apart from each other, and the tops of them were very small. The first few I made it across okay. But when I got to the middle, I started to second-guess myself. I kept thinking about the Clan I had left behind. As I made my leap for the smallest rock, I foolishly looked back. I missed and fell, down into the river far below me. I died as soon as I hit the water."

Windwalker was staring at him, her eyes large and frightened. No doubt she was thinking about going home, where it was safe.

Firerunner scooted closer to her and rested his head lightly on hers. "You can do this. You are small enough that you should be able to land without any problems. Just don't look back, don't second-guess yourself. You know in your heart this is what you were supposed to do. Trust your instincts and you'll be fine."

Windwalker cuddled in closer to the spirit cat. "You will make it," was the last thing she heard as sleep overtook her.

--

Windkit had now been missing for three days. The search party had picked up on her trail near the border. She was heading for the mountains. On occasion, it would vanish entirely, and they would have to split up and hunt it down again. This was one of those times.

"Over this way!" Smallpebble called to the others. "There's a nest here!"

"Whoa, I thought you said Windkit was less than a moon away from being an apprentice," meowed Redfoot as he inspected the tiny nest. "It's barely big enough for a two-month-old kit!"

Emberflame padded up to the others and sniffed to nest. "It was recently made. Her scent is fresh."

"Hey, I've got a trail," Hawkwing called from where he was standing with Russetpelt. The rest of the cats quickly joined him.

"It's really fresh, like she only just left this area. Windkit couldn't have gone too far," Russetpelt added.

The search party quickened their pace. They found where she had taken a quick detour and had caught herself a mouse and had eaten before returning to her journey. One thing they had all noticed was just how straight her path was. Rarely did she make a turn, and they only time she had truly veered from it was when she was hunting. Then she would immediately return to it.

What really surprised them was how well she could hunt without any training. Every hunt seemed to be successful. The search party had come to the conclusion that someone was with her. The only problem was that there was never any scent of another cat.

Emberflame's ears twitched. A low roaring sound was ahead. The others too had heard it, and all knew what it was. They sped up, hoping to catch the wandering kit before she reached the river.

The roaring became louder extremely fast. As they burst out of the forest and into the sun, they were terrified by what they saw. The roar of the river was deafening. Standing at the edge of a steep cliff was Windkit. She was looking uncertainly down into the chasm. She glanced up quickly at the series of rocks that created a bridge, and then back down.

"Windkit!" Emberflame yowled.

Windkit's ear twitched and it looked as though she was about to turn around. Suddenly, the air beside her seemed to waver for a moment. Windkit froze, and then looked up. She crouched, then sprang, her front paws outstretched. She landed easily on the first rock and prepared for the next leap. She neatly managed to land on the next several rocks before hesitating again. The next jump was wider than the others, and the rock she was aiming for was smaller as well. Windkit flexed her claws and jumped. She hung for a moment in the air, then gracefully landed and continued her way across the rest.

Redfoot, Smallpebble, and Russetpelt stood frozen, watching the little she-cat make her way across the chasm, praying to StarClan that somehow she would make it. Emberflame raced forward and sprang onto the first rock. She jumped again and landed awkwardly on the next one. As she was trying to catch herself, one of her paws slipped off the edge. She felt herself falling backwards. Emberflame closed her eyes tightly and dug her claws into the rock. Moments later, she felt something grab her by the scruff.

"Hang in there," Hawkwing meowed as he pulled her up. Emberflame pulled as hard as she could with her front paws and found a small ledge for her hind paws. She pushed up and almost made it back onto solid rock when the worst occurred.

Hawkwing had taken a step back as he pulled, only to find there was nothing there. He started to slide off, his claws scrabbling for any foothold, but to no avail. He let go of Emberflame and plummeted off of the rock. A scream of terror was ripped from his throat as he fell. It was cut off abruptly as he hit the water.

Emberflame hauled herself up onto the rock and turned to watch as the deputy was swept away. She looked up to see that Windkit had just made it to the other side. "Windkit!" she screamed. This time, the silver striped she-cat didn't even acknowledge her aunt.

Emberflame was about to jump to the next rock when Russetpelt called out to her. "Don't follow her! It's too dangerous!" The orange she-cat sighed and returned to the other cats.

"Let's go home," she mewed quietly. Redfoot and Russetpelt nodded solemnly and padded into the forest. Smallpebble lingered behind.

Smallpebble brushed against the MysticClan warrior. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Would you like me to walk with you back to your Clan?" Emberflame looked up at her. She shook her head. The gray she-cat nodded and followed the others.

Emberflame looked back briefly. Windkit was standing on the other side of the river. She glanced back at Emberflame. Their eyes locked. Emberflame was suddenly on the other side of the chasm, looking back at an orange cat. She realized she was seeing through Windkit's eyes. _I'm sorry, but this is how it has to be._

--

Windwalker stood at the edge of the chasm looking down into the rushing river far below. Her gaze flicked up at the tall rock formations that created a broken path from one side to the other. "You have got to be kidding me," she mumbled.

"Windkit!" She froze and was about to turn and answer Emberflame when Firerunner appeared beside her.

"Do not look back!" he growled, not out of anger but of worry. "You need to make this journey. Remember, you aren't a Clan cat anymore; you don't need to answer to them. You must rely on yourself…believe in yourself. Now hurry!"

Windwalker nodded and leapt onto the first rock. _Easy enough,_ she thought as she sprang to the next. Again and again she jumped and landed until she came to the middle. _This is where Firerunner died._ She paused and sized up the jump. She was small enough that she could land on the tiny rock without any issues, but the jump itself frightened her. It was so vast…

Windwalker shook her head and jumped. She floated for a moment then felt her paws hit solid rock. Out of instinct, she dug her claws in and was amazed that she had indeed made it. Windwalker continued across the bridge with confidence.

Then she heard the scream. She knew it was Hawkwing. She wanted to turn around, to go back, but she knew it was too late. She landed on the opposite side of the chasm and stood there panting. She looked back to see Emberflame standing there alone, looking at her niece with sad light blue eyes. "I'm sorry, but this is how it has to be," she whispered before turning and padding into the unknown territory beyond the river.

--

Aquastar stared at Emberflame, her jaw hanging open. _Hawkwing? Dead?_ her mind was crying over and over. The rest of the Clan was gathered, watching the report of the events that had occurred three days ago. None of them could believe that the deputy had died like that. They believed he was like Aquastar, invincible. Many worried about the Warrior Code; after all, they had been without a deputy for three days.

Aquastar snapped out of her trance. "I need some time to decide on the new deputy. For now, go about your normal activities. Gather beneath the Great Rock at sundown." With that, the leader padded quickly into her den. The Clan dispersed, meows of grief and wonder spreaded through the Clan. _Hawkwing's gone. Windkit is out there all alone. Who do you think the next deputy will be?_

Emberflame became aware of the fact that Wolfheart was standing behind her. Before she could say anything, the queen spoke. "I know that you wanted to bring her back. But I do agree with Smallpebble. It would have been too dangerous for you. Besides, then I would have lost my older sister as well."

Emberflame turned and buried her head in her sister's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I couldn't bring her home! I'm sorry!" she sobbed quietly.

Wolfheart laid her tail across Emberflame's shoulders. "I know. But it isn't your fault. And even if it was, I'd still forgive you."

"Mom?" chorused two little voices. Sunkit and Twilightkit were standing, their eyes round. "Will Windkit be okay?"

Wolfheart smiled at her remaining kits. "You're sister was always a fighter in her own right, and clever, too. I'm sure she'll come home without a scratch on her."

…

The cats of MysticClan milled uneasily at the base of the Great Rock. Finally, Aquastar ascended to its peak and looked down on her Clan, studying them for a moment.

"I have decided upon the new deputy. It was a hard decision, for all of you are some of the best warriors I have seen in a long while. But I have finally come to a conclusion of who will be the best in the position of deputy." Aquastar paused, and then lifted her muzzle gracefully up to the stars. "Hawkwing, I hope that you will approve of my choice, and I hope you will be an example for the new deputy." Aquastar looked back down upon her Clan, her eyes seeking out her choice's pelt. When she found it, she yowled, "The deputy of MysticClan will be Emberflame."

All eyes turned to the young warrior. Emberflame blinked, her light blue eyes fill with surprise, honor, and a little bit of nervousness. She stood and padded towards the Great Rock as though in a dream. She touched her muzzle to Aquastar's shoulder and meowed, "I will do my best to make you, this Clan, and our ancestors proud."

Instantly, the rest of the Clan began chanting her name, her sisters and the kits the loudest voices. After a moment, Aquastar held up her tail, silencing the Clan. "Although we do not have his body, we will still sit vigil for Hawkwing."

The Clan nodded and formed themselves into a circle. Wolfheart and Frostbite both sat next to Emberflame, at least until Aquastar softly told Wolfheart to go and get some rest with her kits. Before she returned to the nursery, Wolfheart brushed her pelt against Emberflame's. "You'll do fine," she murmured.

Emberflame looked up at the stars. She still blamed herself for losing Windkit, and she felt responsible for Hawkwing's death. If she hadn't been so clumsy, if she had just stayed put, if he hadn't come out to help her…Emberflame's thoughts stopped short. There were too many "if"s. What was done was done. No amount of wondering could change that. She was deputy, and she had to be more certain of herself now. She watched a shooting star go by, heading towards Silverpelt. _Hawkwing._


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Wolfheart watched silently as the camp moved about her. Seven days had passed since Hawkwing lost his life at the river. Ten days since her kit left without a word. She had fallen into a sort of a comatose state, barely being able to perform her Clan duties. When Sunkit was apprenticed to Swiftwind and Twilightkit to Nightrain, she hardly noticed it. It seemed that no cat could break through to her as she slipped further and further from the Clan, to a place that haunted her with nightmares and hunted her with sorrow.

She watched from where she laid, just outside of the nursery, Frostbite and Solarwind leave for the journey to Fire Mouth. Just Frostbite was about to follow her old mentor into the bushes, Wolfheart's quiet mew caused the young medicine cat's heart to tighten in sadness. "Please, if you can, find out how Windkit is doing…if she is still alive." Frostbite cast a sad glance back and nodded silently to her sister.

--

The medicine cats had met up and were walking single file into Fire Mouth. A new apprentice had joined them; Littleflame of NightClan had chosen Brindlepaw as her apprentice. As she entered the old cave, Frostbite felt the natural soothing warmth of it surround her. Yet even that could not melt the ice that had settled in her heart. What if she couldn't find anything out for Wolfheart? She was already heartbroken, and not knowing was only making it worse for the dark brown warrior.

Frostbite watched Brindlepaw climb to the top of the onyx. Frostbite settled next to it. She felt Solarwind's pelt touch hers for the briefest of seconds. Then she pressed her nose to the stone and waited for the dream.

--

_Frostbite opened her eyes to be greeted by nothing. There were no ancestors there, no forest, no grass. Nothing. Then she heard soft paw steps behind her. She whirled to see a cream colored she-cat approaching her. _

"_I am surprised to see you here. It is not often a Clan cat comes to this place," the cat said, gently, kindly._

"_Where am I?" Frostbite asked. She noticed that the closer the she-cat got, details of her surroundings started to appear. "Who are you?" _

_The cat stopped a few tail lengths from her. Everything was clear around her. Rock was beneath her paws, with a few tufts of grass here and there. A rock wall rose above her ton either side, forming a path between them. On ledges formed from the rock, cats of all colors and sizes sat on them._

"_I am Dawnstep, and you are in the territory of the Wanderers," the she-cat said. "As the First Wanderer, I welcome you to this place. Don't be afraid. You are in no danger." _

_Dawnstep flicked her tail. One of the cats leapt down; a longhaired red tom. He stood next to Dawnstep for a few seconds before padding closer to Frostbite. He stopped and studied her. "So you're her aunt," he said finally._

_Frostbite blinked, confused. "What?"_

"_You're Windwalker's aunt," he clarified, although it did nothing to help Frostbite. Who was Windwalker?_

_Dawnstep flicked an ear at the tom. "She doesn't know yet, Firerunner."_

"_What's going on here?" Frostbite demanded. _

"_Calm yourself, and listen to me," Dawnstep meowed. "Many moons ago, I was a warrior, just like any other Clan cat. Then one day, I had a strange dream. In it, I saw cats living in Clans, like the ones you know, but they lived in a different place, far from my home. I felt the need to find them, and so I left my Clan and became the First Wanderer. But I failed. Because I left my Clan, I was not able to join StarClan. Still, they took pity on me and told me that if another cat was able to complete my journey, I could join them, for it was they who first sent the dream to me. So, I chose the cat that I saw fit to attempt it, but she too wasn't able to make the journey. As the generations passed, we tried to find the cat that could make it, but each time that cat failed. What you see before you now are those cats, the ones who couldn't complete the journey." _

"_Then Windkit was born," Firerunner meowed. "Dawnstep saw that the heart of a Wanderer beat inside her. She sent me to offer to Windkit the path of a Wanderer. If she wanted to, she could've refused it. Still, she accepted it, and with it her Wanderer name, Windwalker."_

"_Is Windkit- I mean, Windwalker-still alive?" Frostbite mewed. _

"_Well, you don't see her here, do you?" meowed a blue-ish she-cat._

"_Hush, Icepath. She is only concerned for Windwalker," Dawnstep meowed, silencing the cat._

"_Windwalker is fine. I taught her everything she would need to know to complete the journey, and I am confident she will. She learned how to hunt in a matter of minutes, and she has already crossed one of the tougher challenges," Firerunner said._

"_You can tell Wolfheart that her kit is alive and well. If you would like me to, I would be more than happy to tell you how Windwalker is doing," Dawnstep offered._

"_That would be very kind of you. I have one more question. If she completes the journey, will Windwalker come back to us, to MysticClan?" Frostbite asked._

_Dawnstep closed her eyes. Then she mewed, "I cannot make decisions for others. If she wishes to return, she will. If she does not, then she will stay away. I am sorry."_

"_I understand." Even though she wanted Windwalker to come back, it was the Wanderer's choice alone. For now, she would just have to tell Wolfheart what she had learned and wait for more news._

--

Wolfheart's eyes lit up when she heard Windwalker was still alive. Yes, she was far away, but she still had a chance to make it to her destination and home again. Now that she didn't have to worry about her lost kit, Wolfheart started to behave normally again. Instead of wondering if Windwalker was all right, she could focus on her other kits, to see how they were growing into fine apprentices, and, with time, into great warriors.

--

Days turned into weeks and passed by without really being noticed by the lone she-cat. Windwalker stalked along. Her silver striped pelt made her look like a ghost as she wove her way between the trees. She had long ago pushed the guilt and the sadness of leaving her Clan away. Slowly, the memories of the Clan faded from her mind just as the scents were fading from her pelt. Only a few things remained with her: the nursery, the scents of her family, and the stories told by Ivypaw stayed prominent in her mind.

Still, Windwalker was becoming a hardened cat. The memories and the loss were at times painful, and she had worked hard to keep it away from her. In doing so, she had also pushed away her feelings…

…Until she came across the little brown furball that was currently sitting on her back. It jumped forward onto her head and angled its head down a little so it could look her in the eye. "Whatcha thinkin' about, Windy?" it asked.

"Nothing that you need to worry about," she replied, sounding a little growly, but not angry.

"Aww, come on. You can tell your pal Hedge what's goin' on."

Windwalker sighed heavily. She thought back to how she had gotten herself into this situation. She remembered hunting and how she was closing in for the kill when her prey had whirled around and saw her. Much to her surprise, it begged for its life in a way she could understand. She was used to her prey making little squeaks when she caught them, but this one actually spoke words. After that, she couldn't bring herself to do it and let him live. But then he decided that she looked lonely and had taken it upon himself to become her new best friend.

Windwalker stopped short and shook herself. A few moments later, she heard a squeak followed by a light thud as Hedge landed on the ground. She turned and looked down at the little chipmunk as he got to his paws, spluttered, and then glared at her. "Why didja have ta do that?" he demanded.

Windwalker feigned surprise. "What did I do?"

"You know perfectly well whatcha did, and I'll have you know I didn't like it," he scolded.

"You're awfully bold for being a rodent," Windwalker mewed. "Aren't you worried that I might eat you?"

"Naw. You're too nice ta do that," Hedge replied. He took three strides towards her then sprang. She felt his little paws grasp her fur as he pulled himself back up to his perch on her back. "Now tell me whatcha were thinkin' about."


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Windwalker sighed. "I'm thinking about my family. I miss them."

Hedge's tail twitched. "Family?"

"Yeah." Windwalker turned her head to look at him. "Why does that seem weird?"

"Well, it's not 'weird.' But, well, us chipmunks don't really miss our families. After all, it's not like we got a lot of time ta get attached ta anyone. Between Twoleg monsters and cats-no offense-our lives aren't very long. Besides, chipmunk pups leave the nest pretty fast, so we never really know our parents."

Windwalker blinked. "Never thought of it that way. I couldn't imagine not having my family near me."

The chipmunk jumped up onto her head and looked into her eyes. "And yet you're out here in the middle of no where on a quest t' a destination that you don't even know where it is."

"Ironic, isn't it?" the Wanderer meowed. She glanced up to her left. They were passing by a small Twoleg place. Windwalker had never met a human, but judging by the stories from her Clanmates, they were to be feared.

Suddenly, she felt Hedge's claws dig into her pelt. "W-we got c-c-company," he stuttered.

Windwalker turned her head to look behind her to see three pairs of yellow eyes looking at her. Whirling, she growled, "Who are you?"

Three big toms stalked out from beneath the bushes. Two of them wore collars. What do you think you're doing here, runt?" snarled a molted brown tom.

Hedge had scurried down Windwalker's back and was now watching behind them for any other cats.

Upon seeing this, a black and white tom meowed, "Look there, Boss. She's got her own box lunch!"

"Yeah," added a fat gray, "when were done beating her up, we'll have an after-fight snack!" The two cats started laughing.

"Shut up!" roared Boss, gaining an immediate effect over the other two. "Now then, any last words, runt?"

Windwalker lowered herself into a fighter's stance. "I don't see how kittypets are going to make any sort of scratch on a warrior," she meowed.

"Hey, who do you think you are? You're too small to be any good," meowed the black and white.

"Agreed, Rocco. She's too small to even be a runt," the gray added.

"Anything would seem small next to that stomach, eh, buck?" Windwalker mocked.

"How'd she know my name?" the apparent Buck asked.

Hedge's little voice sounded in her ear, "Please don't test them, Windy."

"Enough! Boys, I believe it's lunch time," Boss snarled.

Then he sprang. Hedge leapt from Windwalker's back and hurried into the bushes as the she0cat reared up and brought her claws down to meet Boss's muzzle. The brown hissed in pain as he sprang away. Blood welled up around his nose.

Windwalker heard a twig snap behind her and lashed out with one hind paw. She was rewarded with a grunt from Buck as her paw collided with his chest.

"Boy, this one's tough, Boss!" meowed Rocco.

"Not if we all jump her at the same time!" Boss roared.

True to his word, all three toms sprang at her at the same time. Windwalker for once in her life thanked StarClan for her small size. She dropped down and rolled. All three toms landed on each other, snarling, scratching, and biting.

Boss was the first to dislodge himself from the tangle. "You idiots! She's getting away!" Instantly, Buck and Rocco froze, Rocco's leg still in Buck's jaws, just in time to see the tip of a white tail vanish into the bushes. "Get her!" Boss growled.

Windwalker could hear the toms crashing through the bushes behind her. The bushes fell away into woods. Windwalker picked up speed and raced so close to trees that her whiskers touched them. Moments later, she heard Buck's body slam into a tree. _And then there were two,_ she thought to herself.

Dirt became rock beneath her paws as she entered the Twoleg place. Just as she was about to zip around a corner, she heard someone call to her "Up here!"

Windwalker skidded to a stop ad looked up. Sitting on the ledge of a high window sat Hedge. "Climb up the vines!" he cried.

Windwalker leapt up and tried to grab the vines that grew up the side of the building, but they were too weak to hold her, and she started to slip back down. _A cat is not a chipmunk,_ she felt like yelling at Hedge, when she descent stopped. Her paws were sitting on a white piece of wood. Her eyes traveled up the building. More pieces of white wood went up its side. She started climbing up them just as she heard Rocco's and Boss's growls approaching her. As she reached the halfway point, she felt teeth nip her hind paw. She kicked out, landing a sound blow on Rocco's chin. He screamed as he fell off and landed with a thud on the ground.

"I'm going to get you, runt," Boss growled. Windwalker jumped up and hooked her paws on the ledge that Hedge was standing on. She pulled herself into the building. As she leapt down onto the floor, the window slammed shut. She turned around in time to see Boss's face hit the window.

A smoky gray she-cat with a white belly jumped down from where she had closed the window. Boss's muffled threats still permeated the window. The she-cat stared at him through the glass before yelling back, "Get out of here!" then she grabbed a string and yanked. A piece of cloth fell down, covering the window.

"And that's that," she meowed to herself. She then turned to Windwalker. The little bell on her collar tinkled as she did so. "Before we have any introductions, I need to check something."

She padded past Windwalker and into another room. She jumped up onto a windowsill and looked out. Windwalker jumped up next to her in time to see Buck stumble out of the woods. Rocco limped into view from around the side of the building, along with a very irritated looking Boss. Boss cuffed Buck then gave the order for the two cats to follow him.

The she-cat sighed. "Too bad, they're still alive," she sighed. She leapt down and sat with her tail curled around her paws. Windwalker landed lightly beside her. "You had some guts to take on that bunch. Who are you anyway, Wondercat?"

"Naw, she's Windy, my best friend," Hedge squeaked, scampering into the room. He jumped up onto Windwalker's back and pulled himself up to her head. He settled down between her ears.

"Um, I'm Windwalker, formerly of MysticClan," the silver-striped she-cat mewed. "And you are?"

"Willow," the she-cat meowed. "What's MysticClan? And how did you end up with a rat as you're best friend?"

"Chipmunk," Windwalker and Hedge said at the same time.

**Okay, A/N time. Yes, it's a chipmunk. Why? I like rodents as well as cats. Plus, I have plans. (Everyone: ooh, aah.) Secondly, I'm going to start focusing more on Windwalker and not so much on the Clans she left. Why? It's too confusing to go back and forth. Lastly, Willow is my aunt's cat, and I wanted to put her into the story. Why? She's my aunt's cat for crying out loud!**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Chapter 8

"Is that so?" Willow meowed thoughtfully when Windwalker, with frequent interruptions by Hedge, finished her story.

"More o' less," Hedge squeaked, shrugging his shoulders.

Windwalker rolled her eyes and nipped at one of his ears. "You can be so irritating."

Hedge ran a paw over it and then leaned against her muzzle. "Yeah, but ya still keep me around."

"What you've told me is pretty unbelievable," Willow meowed. "If I hadn't seen you fighting with Boss and his lackeys with my own eyes, I would never have believed you." She paused. "I don't mean to sound cynical, but are you sure that you can go on alone?"

Hedge strutted up to the gray kittypet before Windwalker could say anything. "Oh yeah? Well what am I?" he challenged her.

"Lunch?" Willow replied hopefully.

Windwalker grabbed Hedge by the tail and dragged him back. "Shut up," she hissed at him. "What are you proposing, Willow?" she asked the she-cat, looking up. "You want to join us?"

Willow shook her head. "No way. I like my home too much. But there's a she-cat who lives out there in the forest somewhere. I've only seen her a couple of times, and she's pretty old, but she's managed to live this long alone. She might be able to help you. Maybe she knows where it is your supposed to be going."

Windwalker considered it for a moment. Finally she nodded. "Thanks for the tip. Are you sure you don't want to come?"

Willow nodded. "I have a good life here. I can torment my 'Twoleg' and she still feeds me."

"Very well." Windwalker stood up and stretched her back out, feeling all the kinks in it straightening. She stood up. Come on, Hedge. It's time to go. Thank you, Willow, and farewell."

Hedge sprang up onto her back and peeked out at Willow from behind his friends white neck. "Toodles!" he squeaked, waving a paw at Willow.

"Good luck. I hope you find whatever it is that you're looking for." Willow escorted them to a window and watched as they climbed down to the streets.

Windwalker started for the forest, only pausing to look back up at the window of the Twoleg nest. Willow waved her tail in farewell before turning away.

Windwalker padded into the cool shade of the trees. "Ya know what?" Hedge asked, scurrying up to her ears. "She's nice, but I'm glad she didn't join us. I think she had it in for me."

"Ever observant, eh?" Windwalker purred.

"Yep! Wait, was that an insult?"

--

Windwalker scented the air. There was another cat nearby. She padded carefully past an old tree. A twig snapped. Windwalker's head snapped around to see what had made the sound. In between the trees gnarled old roots two silvery eyes were watching her. Windwalker raised her head, forcing the fur to lie flat along her neck. "Who are you?"

A heavy sigh answered her. The owner of the eyes stepped out of the shadows. It was an old she-cat. Her chocolate colored pelt was tinged with gray, and a thin white line ran down her face starting from her forehead and ending at her nose. "I'm Slivermoon," she rasped. "Who are you?"

"My name is Windwalker."

The old cat flicked an ear in interest. "So, you're a Wanderer."

Windwalker's blue eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?"

Slivermoon smirked. "I'm the daughter of one. Let me explain. My father, Rainstride, had been chosen to be a Wanderer, but his mate refused to let him go off on his own. So she followed him as he set out. Along the way, he was bitten by a snake and died. But instead of returning back to her Clan, my mother stayed with her fallen mate, having his only kit, me, out here. She taught me how to survive and told me of the Clans, and schooled my in the Warrior code. When her time came to join StarClan, I continued to live out here alone. She had told me about what my father was. I decided that I would do so until another Wanderer came, and it was my resolve to do my best to help that cat complete the journey.

"And now you're here." Slivermoon blinked at Windwalker, smiling.

Windwalker regarded the she-cat with surprise. "Are you sure you want to come with us?"

Slivermoon's eyes narrowed. "You think this old timer won't be able to keep up? Let me tell you something: I may be gray around the muzzle, but I still have plenty of fight left in me." She leaned towards Windwalker. "So, shall we go?"

Windwalker took a small step back. "Uh, sure. Do you know where we're supposed to go?"

Slivermoon's self-satisfied smirk vanished. "You don't know? But you're a Wanderer. I thought you knew."

Windwalker shook her head. "No. I don't know, and I don't think that those who came before me knew. We're all just traveling by instinct. It's almost like our paws know where to go and the rest of us are just along for the ride. Are you sure you still want to join us even though we don't know where we are going?"

Slivermoon thought for a moment. "No, I'll come with you. I made that vow that I would help the next Wanderer the day my mother died. I'm not going to go back on my word. Can I just ask you something? Why do you keep saying 'we'?"

"'Cause of me!" Hedge said suddenly, popping up between Windwalker's ears. Slivermoon looked at the little chipmunk, amused. Hedge placed his mouth next to Windwalker's ear. "Windy, why does every cat we meet look at me like I'm food?"

--

After traveling for some time, it was Windwalker who had to ask Slivermoon to stop so she could rest. That cat could move surprisingly fast for her age. She half expected the she-cat to tease her, but Slivermoon made no comment and was currently curled up taking a nap. Hedge was doing likewise, curled up next to Windwalker and resting his head on one of her paws. Only Windwalker was awake. Her mind wandered back to MysticClan. Had Ivypaw received her warrior name yet? And her brother and sister were certainly old enough to be apprenticed. Who were their mentors? And who was the new deputy, since Hawkwing had died trying to find her? Windwalker felt responsible for his death. If only she hadn't left…No, this is what she had to do. Windwalker knew this. She had come to far to turn back. What was done was done, and she couldn't change that.

--

It was getting close to the time that the medicine cats made their pilgrimage to Fire Mouth. Frostbite awoke that morning, knowing about the journey ahead. She wondered who would speak with her: her ancestors, or the spirits of the Wanderers. She made her way out of the den and stretched. It was very early, and a light chill in the air warned of the coming of leaf-fall. She was surprised to see Wolfheart, sitting alone in the center of the camp, watching the moon slowly dissolve as the sun rose. She padded up and sat next to her sister in silence.

Finally, Wolfheart spoke. "Twilightpaw has been doing well as Ivyvine's apprentice, and I think Sunpaw is learning a lot from Nightrain. I'm highly impressed with Ivyvine, especially since she was given her apprentice so soon after receiving her warrior name. But…" Wolfheart's voice trailed away and loss replaced the pride in her eyes.

"You're wondering if Windwalker would have done as well," Frostbite mewed softly. Wolfheart nodded. "Wolfheart, I know you miss her and you are worried about her, but you have to move on. You have two other beautiful kits still here. You need to stop wallowing in the past and live in the present."

"I know," Wolfheart meowed, but she didn't look at Frostbite. She sat looking at the ground. She raised her head as she heard soft meows coming from the apprentices' den. "They're awake." She said nothing else and padded to the den's entrance and sat down again with her tail around her paws, waiting to say good morning to her kits.

Frostbite, wondering if she had been a bit harsh on Wolfheart turned back to the medicine cats' den in time to see Solarwind pad out. Frostbite narrowed her eyes. Something was wrong. She came quickly to her mentor's side. "Solarwind, you don't look too good. Are you alright?"

Solarwind glanced up with a sad smile. "The only illness I have is old age. It is time I retired to the elders' den. I have already discussed this with Aquastar and she agrees." Frostbite stared at her mentor, shock in her eyes. "Don't be so surprised, Frostbite. You knew my time was coming. You'll do fine without me. And if you ever do need help, I am only a few paw steps away. But my time as the Clan's medicine cat is over. It is now your turn."

Frostbite wanted to protest, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to change Solarwind's mind. "I understand. Thank you for teaching me to be a medicine cat, and thank you for trusting me so much."

Solarwind placed her muzzle on Frostbite's head. "Just believe in yourself and you'll be fine."

Both of them turned and watched as Aquastar exited her den and made her way up to the top of the Great Rock. She summoned the Clan with a yowl. As soon as all the cats had gathered, she motioned with her tail for Solarwind to step forward. "Today a cat who has been of great service to our Clan has asked to retire and to join the elders." She waited for the murmurs to die down before speaking directly to Solarwind. "Solarwind, is it truly your desire to step down from your post as medicine cat and to join the elders?"

Solarwind dipped her head. "It is, Aquastar."

"Then I and the rest of MysticClan honor you and all that you have done for us. I ask now that StarClan will give you the seasons of rest that you deserve." Solarwind nodded again and padded over to sit beside Mistmoon. Aquastar then summoned Frostbite to stand before her. "Frostbite, now that Solarwind has stepped down from her position, it is time for you to move up and take on the full responsibilities as MysticClan's medicine cat. I now affirm you, Frostbite, as our medicine cat. I hope StarClan continues to guide your paws just as well as before."

Frostbite dipped her head and Aquastar ended the meeting. She accepted the meows of congratulations from the other cats silently. Solarwind padded to Frostbite's side and touched her tail to the medicine cat's shoulder. "It's almost time to go to Fire Mouth. Good luck on your first solo time."

Frostbite flicked an ear in response. "Thank you." She caught Aquastar's eye and nodded before heading out of the MysticClan camp and heading for the crooked tree.

Frostbite was the first to arrive at the meeting place. The other medicine cats arrived shortly after her. Although they were surprised that she came alone, they didn't push her for any explanation. They traveled in companionship to Fire Mouth. As nervous as she was about going solo, the warmth of the cave never failed to comfort Frostbite. In the heart of the cave, she curled up close to the Onyx stone and awaited the dreams.

_Frostbite opened her eyes to be greeted by ferns surrounding her. She uncurled herself and looked around to find herself standing in a forest. Her ears pricked forward as the ferns moved and a skinny gray tom came out from them. He stood there blinking at the blue-furred medicine cat before sitting down._

_Frostbite's ear twitched. This cat certainly wasn't from StarClan, she could feel it. "I presume you are a Wanderer." _

_The Tom smiled. "Right you are. My name is Rainstride. Windwalker has reached the point where I lost my life. It also seems that my daughter has joined her in the search for the other Clans."_

"_I have to ask, do you know where these Clans are?"_

_Rainstride tilted his head and thought for a moment before answering. "When I was alive they were further inland. But now, they have traveled to a new home. Their old territories have been destroyed by Twolegs. They are safe for now in their new home."_

"_You mean they're in danger?"_

"_They might be, and they might be perfectly safe. I can't see that far into the future," Rainstride meowed._

"_Will Windwalker be able to find her way to the Clans now that they've moved? How will she find her way?"_

_Rainstride purred lightly. "Absolutely. She won't even know that they once lived somewhere else. To answer your second question, it is difficult to describe. Wanderers just seem to know where to go. It's almost ingrained into us where we have to go. Kind of like migrating birds."_

"_Thank you, Rainstride," Frostbite mewed, dipping her head respectfully. _

"_Think nothing of it. And to answer the question you are too afraid to ask, Windwalker will make it. Whether she will return is up to her, but she will complete the journey."_


	10. Chapter 9

**Howdy. Sorry that it's been a while. I've been working on my other stories. A note to owly-chan: I can't give you the answer to that question right up front. You will just have to read to find out.**

**This might be the final chapter of this story. Don't worry, there will be more Warrior-fics from me, but this seems like a relatively logical place to end this part of the tale.**

**Disclaimer: I only own my characters.**

Chapter 9

Windwalker padded at a quick pace with Slivermoon beside her. Hedge was riding between her ears, chattering non-stop to his feline companions. They let him talk, not because they enjoyed it, but it was just easier to tune him out than to tell him to shut up. Frequently he would leap from Windwalker's head and race into the forest. Moments later, he would reappear carrying a seed, jump back onto the white she-cat, and resume his talking inbetween bites. Each time he went out in search of a snack, the she-cats talked about a dream Slivermoon had.

"Do you know the cat who was in it?" Windwalker meowed.

Slivermoon shook her head. "No. He seemed familiar somehow, but I've never met him. All I can say is that he was gray and he told me that you would make it to the territories of the other Clans safely."

"And after that? Did he say what the other Clans are like?"

"He didn't say anything about that. Just that you would get to their homeland without incidence."

Suddenly, Hedge burst from the bushes and jumped on Windwalker. "Trouble!" he squeaked.

'Trouble' had become their code word for Twolegs. Immediately, they took shelter in a clump of bracken. Soon, three young Twoleg males tromped by, each carrying a long pole. They were traveling in the same direction as the cats were.

"What in StarClan's name are they doing?" Windwalker meowed once they had gone by.

"I've seen Twolegs with those poles before. They go down to the river and drop the strings attached to the poles into the water. When a fish grabs the string, they pull it out by tugging on the pole," Slivermoon explained.

Hedge, who had become bolder, jumped onto Slivermoon's back. "Why don't they just use their paws, Sliver?"

"Because they're klutzy," she purred. She would never admit it, but she had become fond of the chipmunk. "So, should we change course?"

"No," Windwalker mewed. "We just have to be more careful now."

"Then lead the way," Slivermoon meowed, sweeping her tail forward.

Presently, the sound of flowing water met their ears. It got louder and louder until they came out of the forest and onto the bank of a narrow river. Downstream and a good distance from them were the Twoleg males, doing exactly what Slivermoon had predicted. Upstream a little ways there were several stones out in the river. Windwalker's mind flashed back to the first river she had to cross, the one Hawkwing died crossing. She jerked herself away from those thoughts. This river was thin and the stones were close together and large. She was certain no one would drown.

Still, she glanced over at Slivermoon. The grizzled she-cat had already started for the stones. Hedge scurried off her and up Windwalker's foreleg, resuming his usual position on her head. "Come on, you two," Slivermoon called. "The sooner we do this, the sooner it will be over. She jumped out onto the first stone.

Windwalker shrugged and followed suit. The stone beneath her was cold and slick from the water. Her confidence waned a little. They could easily slip in. As if on cue, Slivermoon lost her footing as she jumped to the next stone and fell in.

"Slivermoon!" Windwalker caterwauled. She was about to jump in after her friend when she felt Hedge's grip on her ears tighten. She couldn't jump in and risk getting Hedge drowned.

The Twolegs had heard her wail and looked up to see Slivermoon being swept towards them. One of them abandoned his pole and dove into the river, swimming against the current. He caught Slivermoon and swam to shore with her, where one of the other Twolegs handed him a white fluffy thing. The one holding Slivermoon gently wrapped her in it and cradled her against himself.

Slivermoon turned her head to look at Windwalker. "It's okay. You go on. I'll be fine," she meowed loud enough for the silver-striped cat to hear. The three Twolegs looked up to where Windwalker stood on the rocks. One of them started to run up the bank to where the stepping-stones were. Windwalker pelted across the few that were remained and into the shrubs on the other side. She made her way downstream until she reached where the Twolegs stood on the opposite shore.

**"Do you think the white cat will be okay?"**

**"Well, it made it to the other side."**

**"What about this cat?"**

**"Why not keep her? She doesn't seem like she has a home."**

Windwalker listened to them talk to each other. Why couldn't they talk like a cat so she could understand them? Would they hurt Slivermoon? It didn't seem like they would. They were clustered around Slivermoon, petting her and offering her scraps of fish. Slivermoon was basking in their attention, making pitiful squeaks and receiving more handouts because of it. She flicked her ear towards where Windwalker was standing.

"Don't worry about me, kid. I'll be fine. You just focus on finding the other Clans. Take care, Windy and Hedge," she meowed.

"Good-bye, Sliver," Windwalker mewed softly. She turned and padded away with Hedge nestled at the base of her neck.

-----

'D'ya really think she'll be okay?" Hedge asked again. Several days had passed since the incident at the river.

Windwalker sighed. "Yes. The Twolegs didn't seem to be hurting her, and she definitely was enjoying herself."

She raised her head and scented the air. She blinked and sniffed it again. Yes, there was the unmistakable smell of many cats coming from somewhere nearby. _Enough cats to make at least one Clan_, she realized. With a mew of excitement she sprang forward. She had made it! After traveling for moons she found the other Clans! Without looking where she was going she raced forward. Hedge lost his grip and fell off her but she kept on running. She could hear his paws scampering to keep up. Suddenly he shouted in alarm.

Windwalker looked around behind her when the ground beneath her paws changed. It was hard and smelled awful. A loud rumbling sound filled her ears as she looked up to see a large Twoleg monster barreling for her. Windwalker tried to dart out of the way but it was too late. Her world went white as the monster hit her side. She felt herself roll down a steep slope and into a muddy ditch. She opened her eyes slightly to see Hedge hovering over her. His mouth was moving, but she couldn't hear him.

The cat. The cat in Slivermoon's dream had said she would make it safely. Had he lied? No. Horror gripped her heart as she realized that he had said she would make it to the territories safely. He had never said she would meet the other Clans. He hadn't lied at all. Windwalker felt her consciousness slip away as she fell into a void of darkness.

-----

"WINDY!" Hedge screamed again as he watched her eyes close. He sniffed the air, picking up the scent his friend had followed. In an instant he was off. _Gotta help her, gotta help her, _his mind chanted over and over as he ran.

The scent of cats grew stronger by the second. Just then, the earth beneath his paws fell away. He felt himself plummet, but instead of earth, he landed on something soft. The something soft growled and shook itself and he was sent flying. He hit real earth with a thud. Quickly shaking himself off, he stood up and looked around. More cats than he had ever seen in his life now stood staring at him in surprise, and quite possibly in hunger.

"Look, prey just willingly ran into our paws," meowed the cat he had landed on. It was a longhaired white tom, and he advanced on the chipmunk menacingly.

"WAIT!" Hedge yelled as he held up his paws. The tom stumbled backwards in surprise. Since when did prey talk?!

"What did you just say?" gasped a ginger-colored she-cat.

"I said wait!" Hedge said, slightly quieter this time. "My friend needs help!"

A tom whose felt shone like fire stepped forward. "Why would ThunderClan help prey like you?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Because Windy isn't prey, she's a cat! And she's been hit by a Twoleg monster! Please, you have to help her!" the little creature begged.

Upon hearing this, the tom turned and started to shout orders. "Cinderpelt, Leafpool, follow this pr-I mean chipmunk-to the cat who's been injured! Cloudtail, go with them!"

"Follow me!" called Hedge as he took off. He didn't even bother to look back to see if the cats were even following him. He quickly found his way back to the ditch where Windwalker lay. His heart ached at the sight of her, her beautiful pelt now stained with mud and blood. He crawled in close to her and pressed his nose against her side. She was still breathing, but it was so shallow. He heard the other cats come up behind him.

A gray she-cat and a tortoise-shell she-cat came down beside him. "Why, she's barely old enough to be a warrior!" the tortoise-shell meowed.

"We should get her back to the camp now," the gray said. "Cloudtail, help me carry her. Be careful; she's definitely got a few broken bones," she added.

Hedge watched as they gently lifted his friend and carried back towards the camp. He followed beside them like a mother cat would walk beside her injured kit. The tortoise-shell came up beside him. She was telling the other two where the easiest and smoothest route was t carry Windwalker along. "Don't worry," she mewed to Hedge. "Cinderpelt and I will take good care of your friend. What is her name?"

"Windwalker, but I call her Windy," Hedge said miserably. "And I'm Hedge."

"Windwalker will be fine. You'll see," she mewed. "I'm Leafpool, by the way. Watch out for that rock, Cloudtail."

-----

_The Wanderers looked around. They no longer sat upon rocks and boulders but were now in a clearing surrounded by trees. Warrior ancestors all turned and stared at each other, surprised that their numbers had doubled._

"_I don't believe it," Firerunner meowed. "Windwalker actually made it. The two StarClans are joined."_

"_And because of her success, we are now home," Dawnstep added. _

_They watched as the other Wanderers now padded up to greet their old Clan members and to talk with the new StarClan. Hawkwing padded up to them as well as an old gray she-cat with orange eyes. _

"_What is going on here?" he meowed to Dawnstep._

"_Windwalker has successfully made it to the territories of the forest from your home by the mountains. By doing so, she has joined both the StarClans of the forest and of the mountains together," Dawnstep mewed. "There is a very good reason for this, and Yellowfang knows why."_

_The she-cat dipped her head. "I can tell that in life you were a deputy. Listen to me. Our StarClans are still separate, but we can now speak with each other and share knowledge when it is needed. Here is the first thing that you must tell the your Clans, the ones who live near the mountains. History is about to repeat itself. My Clans were driven away from the forest, and the same thing will soon happen to yours. You must get them away from there before disaster strikes, otherwise they will not survive."_

_"What is going to happen? Tell me," Hawkwing demanded._

_Yellowfang shook her head. "I cannot do that, for I don't know myself. I only know that it will happen soon." She glanced around her at the cats of the two StarClans separated. "You should go now. We will speak again soon, Hawkwing." She turned and padded away to join her own Clan. _

_Hawkwing turned to Dawnstep. "You were of my Clans once. Are you going to come back with us?"_

_"Yes. We Wanderers are tired of living apart from the others. It is time for us to come home."_

**Yes, I know, I am evil. This has got to be one of the worst cliffhangers I've ever done, especially because this is the end of this story. I am so glad none of you knows where I live otherwise, I would be dead by now.**

**Don't worry, i will be back soon with the next part of the series. Then you will find out what danger MysticClan, MoonClan, SunClan, and NightClan are in. And if Windwalker will be okay. See you in the next story!**


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